Westfield to seek state OK for school feasibility study

WESTFIELD - School officials will seek state approval Monday to proceed with a feasibility study to determine the city’s future school building needs.

Approval from the state’s School Building Authority will allow the city to hire consultants to work with a local school building committee to determine whether consolidation of several existing schools into a new elementary school is feasible.

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and Superintendent of Schools Shirley Alvira said the feasibility study is one stage in construction of a new school building.

Shirley Alvira

The building committee and consultant will review all eight elementary schools currently in operation to determine the city’s overall needs. Focus will be on building a new elementary school that has been suggested as a replacement of Abner Gibbs School, the oldest in use. But, Ft. Meadow Early Childhood Center and Franklin Avenue School, along with students at Juniper Park Elementary School, have been mentioned for possible consolidation if a new school is built.

The City Council last month set aside $600,000 to finance the study, which Knapik has said will cost between $300,000 and $700,000.

Cost of the study, along with the cost of construction, will be eligible for 62.4 percent state reimbursement, officials said. The estimated cost of a new elementary school is $40 million.

Alvira said the study is expected to take six months and will “look at the condition of all our buildings and facilities. It will also look at programs and services as well as city birth records which will allow creation of a projection on future school enrollments.”

SBA approval will allow the city to advertise for consultant proposals. SBA will assist local officials in reviewing those proposals and the hiring of a consultant.